TURA, Nov 16: After spending more than three months in jail in a gamut of cases lodged against him by the Meghalaya police, incarcerated BJP MDC and party vice president Bernard N Marak was finally released on Wednesday after the Court granted him bail in all cases registered against him.
Bernard was arrested in the now famous ‘Rimpu Bagan’ incident where allegations were leveled of the MDC running a sex racket as well as being involved in POCSO cases. Cases under the ‘Arms Act’ were also registered after the police raid on the premises also found arms.
After apparently absconding in the cases filed against him, Bernard was arrested from Hapur district in Uttar Pradesh on July 26 after a lookout notice was issued against him. He was brought to the Tura Sessions Court where he was sent to custody following a hearing.
While there were a few cases against him that were initially lodged, West Garo Hills (WGH) police began to continually lodge further cases any time it looked like the MDC could be granted bail and go free.
To counter the same, the family with the help of an advocate from Guwahati, Angshuman Bora filed a case in the High Court of Meghalaya, with the HC granting bail to cases that were refused by the Sessions Court in Tura.
After further cases were piled up against Bernard, as a last resort, advocate Bora filed a writ petition with the HC seeking details of all cases filed against him following which the HC directed the state to provide the details.
The state government later produced about 30 cases against Bernard that were registered, most of which he had already been bailed on for some time. The last case in which he was granted bail was that of a 3-year-old being sexually assaulted in his farmhouse for which he was given bail on November 14. However, one more case, which was yet to be acted on remained for which the family sought information on whether arrest would be requested by the state, the hearing for which was undertaken on Wednesday.
Bernard was finally given bail and was released in the evening from the Tura District Jail and was greeted by his supporters who continued to show their support for the incarcerated leader. A huge group of supporters were also present in the house of the MDC to greet and show their support. Fireworks and sloganeering continued till late night.
Elated over the release of its vice president, the State BJP said, “Bernard Marak was today released from police custody against all odds and despite the best efforts of the NPP government to keep him under lockup.”
BJP State president Ernest Mawrie said that the cases against him had no basis or proof, and that it was a despicable matter reeking of political vendetta.
Mawrie claimed that Chief Minister Conrad Sangma is aware of the rising popularity of Bernard and is scared of losing the peoples’ mandate in Tura.
“The people of Tura and the state have already made up their mind to oust the NPP government in the upcoming elections,” Mawrie said.
The BJP chief also challenged Conrad to fight only from the South Tura seat and face the might of Bernard in his own backyard and not hedge his career by fighting on two seats.
Calling Bernard a crusader, Mawrie urged him to continue his fight against the blatant corruption in the system.
